16th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement - Iran
The
16th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement was held from 26 to 31 August 2012 in
Tehran, Iran. The summit was attended by leaders of
120 countries, including 24 presidents, 3 kings, 8 prime ministers and 50 foreign ministers.
The summit's framework was the "Final Document" adopted during the Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement Coordinating Bureau which was held in
Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, from 7 to 10 May. The Foreign Ministry also said that the agenda would primarily consist of issues pertaining to
nuclear disarmament, human rights and regional issues. Iran also intended to draw up a new peace resolution aiming to resolve the
Syrian civil war.
The summit consisted of two preceding events: a "Senior Officials Meeting" on 26 and 27 August 2012, and a "Ministerial Meeting" on 28 and 29 August 2012. The leaders summit took place on 30 and 31 August. Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi officially handed the presidency of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, during the inaugural ceremony of Leaders' Meeting. Iran will hold the NAM presidency for four years until the 17th summit in
Venezuela in 2016.
The 16th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement
As of August 2012, the organisation consists of 120 member states, including the non-UN member state of
Palestine, and 21 other observer countries. "This claim needs references to reliable sources. (July 2021)" The countries of the Non-Aligned Movement represent nearly two-thirds of the United Nations' members and contain 55% of the world's population.
Since the Non-Aligned Movement was formed in an attempt not to take sides during the
Cold War, it has sought to seek a new direction since the
fall of the Soviet Union. After the
breakup of Yugoslavia, a founding member, its membership was
suspended in 1992 at the regular ministerial meeting held in New York during the regular annual session of the
United Nations General Assembly.
Flags of countries in attendance along with the motto put up for the summit in
Tehran
The summit was scheduled to be held at
Kish Island but it was transferred to Tehran in 2010. According to Vice President
Ali Saeedlou, who is the head of the organising committee, up to 7,000 participants – including delegations and the media – are expected to attend the summit.
To prepare for the meeting and reduce traffic and air pollution, a five-day public holiday in Tehran has been called for the duration of the summit. Parts of Tehran have been beautified with lamp posts and freshly painted road markings. Roads around the summit venue will be closed to all but official vehicles. Iran's
deputy police chief Ahmad Reza Radan stated "The police are on full alert during the Non-Aligned Movement summit." In addition, to raise security of the event, visa-free entry to Iran normally offered to nationals from several countries has been temporarily suspended.
The "Senior Officials Meeting" and "Ministerial Meeting" convened at the "IRIB International Conference Center" (IICC). The summit was held at "Tehran's Summit Conference Hall"
A spokesman of the
Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that 24 presidents, 3 kings, 8 vice presidents, 8 prime ministers, 50 foreign ministers attended at the summit. By the first day of the summit, 110 delegations arrived Tehran.
Ali Akbar Salehi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran, announced that the UN Secretary-General,
Ban Ki-moon, would attend the conference. He also invited leaders of Russia, Turkey and Brazil to the summit.
Mohamed Morsi, ex-president of NAM and the Egyptian President, also announced that he would participate in the summit. He was the first leader of his country to visit Iran since the
Islamic revolution.
Iran reportedly cancelled an invitation to
Saudi Arabia to attend the summit. However, it was later announced that
Abdulaziz bin Abdullah, Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister, would participate in the summit upon the invitation of Saudi Arabia.
Closing ceremony of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit with the presence of members' heads of state
Former Malaysian Prime Minister
Mahathir Mohamad commented on the significance of the summit in Iran: "Certain NAM states too have upheld sanctions against Iran which is a totally unwise move because the sanctions are not on part of the UN, rather unilaterally levelled by the US The U.S. can issue any sort of sanctions it wants against Iran but there is no reason other countries to follow suit."
An Iranian government official also commented on the summit, reportedly saying that "the NAM summit is the best opportunity to confront the sanctions." He added that "in meetings with the officials of [fellow] member states, we should brief them on the illegality of these sanctions and talk to them to make these sanctions ineffective."
Last day of the conference
The base of the summit's negotiations' framework is the "Final Document" adopted during the Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement Coordinating Bureau which was held in
Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, from 7 to 10 May 2012.
The Foreign Ministry also said that the agenda would primarily consist of issues pertaining to nuclear disarmament, human rights and regional issues. Iran also intended to draw up a new peace resolution aiming to resolve the
Syrian civil war.
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